had had this consideracion with you whē our consull with so sharpe bytyng wordes wrongefully spake of my maners whē he with his pernicious and insolent eloquence incensed and kendled your mindes against me I dare boldelye saye myne innocente lyfe shulde this daye cleane haue quailed his proude crakinge wordes But nowe I see that ye by the consulles suggestion prepare sentence againste me and that ye can scaselie suffer to here me to gyue credence to his authoritie mistrusting mine honestie Wherefore I maye well feare lest the defence of myne helth be greatly hindered For innocentes through the vniuste enuie or iniurie of a fewe are often times troden vnder foote The which thynge surely besemeth neither the constancie of noble men nor the maners of the Romains nor the dignitie and office of the Senatours Therfore most honorable fathers I beseeche you for the goddes sakes immortall and for your humanitie that in so greate and waighty matters ye lightelye giue not iudgemente reduce againe your mindes mollified and ouercome with Ciceros eloquence to your olde integritie and so restore you them that at length you maye vnderstand the wordes of Catiline a Romaine descended of noble lynage If I worthy citizens haue done anye offence againste my countrey I neither desire fauour nor mercie Then ryd me out of this lyfe put this bodye to cruell deathe and teare these shameful members in pieces for myne oracion tendeth not that ye shulde haue mercie on Catiline For why sodenly to put to cruell deathe hym that entendeth to destroye his countrey is moste hygh mercye But the clemenry of this citye I desire moste honorable fathers that in no maner wise ye forsake not innocencie leste whyle ye defende lybertie throughe the iniquitie of a fewe you shulde go aboute to destroy manye gyltles persons I wyll shewe you and clerely open vnto you that the greuous and sharpe enmitie that oure consull beareth me is not for the sauegarde of the comman weale nor for any desire that he hath to mainteine liberetie but to vexe and trouble the common weal. For howe many and howe immoderate discordes dyd fyrste in tymes past kindle and prouoke hym ageinste me nor what strife contencion hath not ben betwene vs sence I nede not to declare For they are to you honorable fathers sufficiently knowen But I woll rather tell you those thinges whiche he at the laste eleccion when hee was chosen consull shamefully yea and rashely blasted out howe he desired the consulshyp for nothinge more than for the destruccion of Catiline These two mooste noble men C. Antonius and C. Cesar are wytnesses of the same by whose authoritie that his thretnynge was at the same tyme reproued as vndiscreete Goo to nowe moste prudente fathers gyue your hyghe dignities and offices to suche minded men the whiche woll more dylygently pursue priuate ennimities than the profite and sauegarde of all this common weale Cicero desired not the consulshyp to succour the miserable or to restrayne the power and myght of the euyll doers to defende the cytie to prouide for the common weale but specialli that he myght quayle Catiline and banyshe hym Are these the duetyes of a man called to the consulshyp Preferre suche menne in geuynge them highe roumes before the noble men whose hole minde is to extincte the nobilitie For that that is thretned me of thys man shall returne vnto you all Beleue me moste prudente fathers beleue me the consent of beneuolence and loue is rare betwene myndes so vnlyke He beynge a straunger of the towne Arpinate a newe geast planted into thys cytie thinketh vpon his naturall rage and hatered the whiche his maners haue not only prepared ageynst newe and strange citizens but also nature by olde custome Fyrst at the begynninge of hys consulshyp hys countrey was caste in his tethe and sometyme his newe gentlemanshyp was obiected againste hym thynke ye that the manne moste vnpacient could take soo great rebuke pacientelye At that tyme his wytte beynge kendled with a frowarde spirite and as it were a viperous serpente his fierce and cruel mynde with an inflamed and venomed stomacke was all to tossed Thys man that nameth hym selfe the father of the countreye that is wonte to saye that thys common weale was ornated wyth his noblenesse in lyuynge he that by his maners maketh hym selfe not onlye egall to the kynredes of al the moste noble and excellente men but also to excel in vertue al oure forefathers Whan he sawe his newe gentlemanshyppe obiected againste hym how thynke you dyd hee take it Hee than gnashed his tethe together and againste you all he was striken prittelye wyth a woodenes and gan to whet hys anger the whiche ye maye not thynke woll asswage in tyme to come by opteyning of the consulshyppe seeynge that he iudgeth that not by your fauoures but for hys moste greatest vertues hee worthely is aduaunced to so hyghe a dignitie And soo uowe he dothe execute those hys former affections nowe wyth those craftes he intendeth to trouble the citye now with suche inuencions he woll reuenge hym selfe and brynge the nobilitie in suche case that they shall neuer obiecte agaynste hym hys newe gentlemanshyp He shall do it moste honorable fathers he shall do it onlesse your mooste prudente wysedomes at lengthe prouide both for the healthe of vs all and for the common weale For nowe oure citie by thys ryngeleader of myschiefe artificer of damnable dedes is so be spotted with a vengeable and pestilent blemysh he so soweth abroade his detestable seede vpon our countrey that if it once take roote and grow to any forwardnesse thys publyke weale shall be cleane extincted and thys moste floryshyng empire shall be vtterly broughte to naughte For there is nothynge more perilous vnto cities than whan the chiefe and principall citizens bee at stryfe amonge them selfe For Discorde is greatteste fooe to floryshynge common weales Discorde alone disparpleth and turneth vp sette downe thynges stronge and myghtye Truely discorde hath brought this busynes into our citie it hath cast vs into this calamitie the whiche if it be not prouided for in tyme I see that thys mooste floryshing common weale is in greate daunger I see the weapons in youre handes the oone of you to withstande the other this man banyshed and that man murdred Wold to god that innocent Catiline mighte be the ende of all tribulacions like as he is the beginning there is no peryll that shulde greue me to take in hande for the common weale I coulde be contente to be proscribed to be banyshed to suffer death for my countrey But euerie man is not at all tymes of oone selfe mynd An other shall be more vnpacient the which had rather be auenged then to suffer the iniuries of naughtye persons Then the matter muste needes be tryed by cyuile warre then shall our countrey stande in daunger to bee loste and wyll shortelye fall into doubtefull chaunces and sure destruccion of the cytie than shall he
prince and soueraigne of all the worlde They sayde Cesar was driuen therto by reason that through his great and large liberalitie he owed aboue DCCC.xxx talentes Some saye that all these thynges were feyned and blowen abrode by their enemies and shoulde in no wyse be beleued that so noble men shoulde confederate them selues with Lentulus Catiline and Cethegus desperate caitiues What certeine knowledge I haue of eyther of them I wyl after in place conuenient declare But when these men that I haue rehersed were there assembled together Catiline tooke them a parte and thus he sayde ¶ The oracion of L Catiline to hys felowes of the conspiracie Cap. v. YOVRE incredible faythefulnes and the great fortitude and manhode that I haue alwaye perceiued in you dothe encourage my herte yea and putteth me in greate hope not onelye to recouer libertie but also to enlarge and augmente our olde dignitie For whan I loke and well beholde eche of you I se no man in this companye that hath not done some noble and worthye acte ne no man but that he derely tēdereth my welth ne no man but either he hath done me pleasure or els I him ne no man but that I am bounde to remembre for euer more his goodnes toward me And therfore now I haue no feare to disclose and open vnto you what I purpose and intende nor I haue no drede nor mistruste but that eche of you wil endeuour hym to the vttermoste of your power to accomplysshe and bringe to effecte that that I shall shewe you For the olde lawe of iuste and trewe amitie that of a longe time hath ben betwene vs is that frendes shulde alwaye wyll one thynge nor there is no bonde of frendshyppe more certayne and sure then the consent and societie of counsayll and wyll And therfore in this cause most specially your wyls and myne ought to be one for soo moche as ye shall well perceiue that those thinges that my harte so sore desyreth to bringe to passe are egally good and euyll bothe for you and me Oftentimes by my selfe thinking on the miseries that we many yeres haue benne wrapped in and as me semeth shall be styll onlesse your moste prudente wysedomes woll prouide remedy I am wonte to call to remembraunce what a wretched life we shal leade in time to come without we set our selfe at libertie For I nede not to reherse to you your selfe beare it well inoughe in in remembraunce howe many and dyuers hurtes and griefes we haue endured sithe the moste common wele through the crueltie of certayne vngratious persones was permitted and let slippe to be vnder the rule order and power of a fewe and suche as began to take more vpon them then all the rest besyde For I lettinge passe to reherse the mishappe and chaunce that ech of vs hath had you maye with one regarde beholde all vs that be here noble stronge and valiante men whiche often tymes for the common weale haue not eschewed perylles moste greate and greuous and hauynge neyther lande nor rent lefte as wretches nedy sorowfull and out castes haue as moche as we can do to defende our liues fame citie and goodes But they whiche violate vexe and trouble all together bothe the lawe of god and mā not onely walowinge in riches and welthe pleasantlye passe awaye theyr tyme where they luste but also euery thynge beinge done at theyr commaundement and wyl seke wayes and meanes to attrappe and destroye the moste noble and valiant men of our citie and they them selfe are in doubte of nothinge finallye theye haue and exercise a regall power I haue no word more greuous when I name this royal power but surely theyr power is greatter than a kinges What kingdome was there euer that had mo kynges at one tyme what kinge was there euer so mightie and soo stronge the whiche had a power to constitute and make kynges But these men haue full power to rule all prouinces and depriue free nacions of theyr landes and to geue and dispose other mennes royalmes and kyngedomes To these men all the whole world kynges princes and straunge nacions haue ben alwaies tributours And so they haue all the power fauoure ryches worshyp and honoure To the satisfiynge of the whole couetousenes surelye it semeth all the whole worlde is to lyttell and ouer straite But nowe if they wolde seeke only to haue the power riches and honoure they shulde be to vs greuous but yet they mought be suffered and borne But what is he that can endure and suffer that they hauynge abundance of cattell golde syluer iuorie ryche araye costlye howsholde stuffe and other thynges shulde daylye lye in awaite to catche vs in some snare that are nedy and want al these thynges and that are with their boastynges and bragges greuouslye wronged ye and beside that to goo aboute styl to depriue vs of this oure sorowfull and most wretched lyfe We are sore thretened and are in perpetuall peryll and dreede of them oure iudgementes and puttynge from all roumes and offices are prepared Whyche thynges howe longe wyll you most valiaunte and noble men pacientlye beare and suffer Were it not better for a man a thousande tymes to dye then to lyue in that citye where he is an abiecte contemned and despised of all other desperate and forsaken tremblynge and quakynge mistrustinge his owne affaires not so hardye to speke without lybertie without auctorite and wythout any shappe of free man Yea and to be subiecte to those the whiche if wee had a common weale wolde be in feare and dreede of vs. Wherfore moste hardy and valiant men let vs at laste shake of our stuggishenesse and let vs take suche hart and courage as besemeth noble Romaynes borne Our forefathers coulde not suffre the proude kynge Tarquimus and canne we suffer not one kynge but many moste cruell tyrantes Surely I will neuer leaue you I wyll monishe you I wyll teache and instructe you I wyll alwaye declare to you what I thynke beste to be done there shall no tyme escape me neyther night nor daye but that I woll minde and imagine what soo euer concerninge oure libertye ought to be thought on that thynge that oughte to be entreprised and done wyll not I make courtsye to doo but shall desyre and praye you to haue the doinge therof fynally I wyll do that that becometh a worthy Romayne to do that is for our libertie I wyll put my life in ieoperdy But I protest before god and man that the victorie is in our handes if we wyll playe the men We haue here at hande Syllas souldiours withe all theyr fauour strengthe and one assente redye to ayde vs by whose sodeyne commynge we shall shortelye haue a stronge and sure hoste of men With like diligence fauour and loue to recouer libertie the moste bolde and valiante men Gn. Piso and P. Siccinius Nucerius haue conspired with vs of the whiche the tone is in the hither Spayne with a great
hitherto a life most pure withoute blame or shame What dyfference than shall there be betwene the good menne and the yuell What man moste innocente or vertuous can assure hym self from deceytes if it behoueth to gyue credence to the yuel sayeng of euery lewede and vngratious person But if we shall examine the lyfe of M. Crassus what bodyly lust lurketh what mischeuous dede lieth hydde what crueltye or what braynsicke boldenes there shall be neyther errour nor obscuritie in the cause So greate is the greatnes of this mischiefe that without fylthy youthe without many yuel dedes before cōmitted with out a lyfe defiled with all damnable actes with out prodigall expence with disworship and shame without vnbridled boldnes be shewed and not onely braynsyke boldnes but very furor and madnes no manne will beleue that euer he wolde entreprise soo heynous so cruel and so bitter a dede Furthermore we muste lay here vnto a lust to rule the hate of peace and good men drede of punishement dishonest frendes dette pouerty tyme meete and conuenient All whiche thynges excepte they be manyfest truely as we saye so vngratious a dede so cruell and so farre agaynst all reason wyll not be beleued What thynge what hope what lewde luste coude enforce Crassus to do suche a dede Coude nede or scarsitie compel hym whiche is so riche that there are fewe or none in this great multitude of men that haue more aboundance of riches Coude ambition whiche oft tymes maketh many men noughte For bothe good and badde desyre glory honour rule gouernaunces of prouinces dignities of the churche and triumphes The good men by vertue the ille men mistrustyng theyr vnworthines by naughty and crafty menes crepe vp and the honours whiche they thynges beynge in quiet and good order despeyre to wynne by rufflynge and troubling of the cōmon weale they thynke to opteyne Than thus hath not Crassus in peace rest atteyned vnto the moste ample and highe honours of the Cytye without repulce But peraduenture his vngentyl maners fierce cruelty vnbridled boldnes enforced Crassus vnto this Who is more courteyse then he Who is more mylde What dede dyd we euer se hym do ouer boldly or wythout good aduisement and consideracion We omit nowe the weale publike which hath euer ben to Crassus most derely beloued We speke nothynge of his estate of hys maner of lyuinge of his nature of his most gentyl conditions of his incredible loue toward good men of hys study and diligence to conserue the common quiet reste and peace Nor we do not omit those thīges as though they were not of most weyghty importance but bycause they are to you notably knowen Is it than credible than in this most honest mynde in this lyfe so abhominable a dede coulde take place Loke well vnto hym and beholde those other laye the crime and his lyfe together Whold Crassus burne the cyty sle the senatours wast Italy destroye the weale publyke and brynge the name of the people of Rome to naught This suspition honorable fathers taketh no holde on this pure honest mynde on this lyfe on this man They were sauage beastes wylde and cruell in the shape of men that went aboute to destroye those thynges And what ment it whan Traquinius named Antronius Vargunteius Lecca Seruius Sylla Cornelius and manye other that ye all attentiuely gaue eare For those if no manne wolde accuse them yet their condicions and lyfe woulde conuince theym But whan hee beganne to name M. Crassus dydde not euery man vehementlye crye oute agaynste hym For no manne demed that the lyfe of anye man could so sodenly be changed or nature altered that he which a lytle before was the beste and moste honeste man wolde anone after in crueltie passe the wylde beastes Consider a lytell in your myndes honorable fathers for so ye shall vnderstande how far of Crassus is from suspicion of thys heynous deede consider I saye Catiline Antronius Cassius Cethegus Lētulus Gabinius and other men which are alied to this detestable dede what murthers what aduoutries what robryes howe manye and what greate vnheard of and singular dedes of myschiefe of brainesicke boldenesse of voluptuous pleasure of falsehoode of promise breakynge of crueltye of auarice shall ye fynde in these menne Who doth marueile that Catiline hath conspired against the weale publike beynge of all men sythe man was firste formed the most muscheuest the most cruel and the most fylthy Whych hath defiled so many worshypful wyues so many noble yonge men whome L. Sylla appointed to sley the knyghtes of Roome amonge the whiche hee slewe Catullus his systers husbande and M. Marius moste derely beloued of the people of Rome Whiche in Affrica destroyed many houses spoyled many townes and all the temples and so vexed and wasted that prouince that as it semed it coulde scaselye bee restored ageyne in many yeres after In whose lyfe there can be founde no houre voyde from aduoutrye from mourder from mischief from cruelty from doing yl dedes whom we sawe afterwardes accused of petye briberye and incest whom alway al men thought to be borne to make discorde and variance in the common weale Who wondereth that Lentulus was familierly acqueinted wyth hym seinge he was nedye sumptuous bolde proude lecherous Wherto shulde we reherse the furious brainesyckenes of Cethegus or how he wounded Pius Metellus Who was euer more stubborne more fierce or more cruell than he And who coulde bee founde more voluptuous more lecherous more deceiteful thā Antronius Whome we knewe was condempned for ambicion whome wee knewe committed murther and spoiled the temples of our confederate friendes It were an infinite busines to declare to you all their deedes But it is your part honorable fathers though we reherse them not keping silence inwardly to mynde all those whiche are knowen to haue conspired For ye shall wel perceiue eche of them to be sooner condempned of his owne lyfe then by oure suspicion Dyddest thou than thynke Tarquinius with those deteccions to brynge Crassus from this dignitie of familiars in to thys flocke in to thys nombre of wicked caytiues and parent sleyers Is it not now apparant honorable fathers that those crimes are feyned Do ye not se that thynge that the detector hathe sayd of Crassus corrupted eyther wyth meede or hope or with drede depraued or elles to procede of ennemies Wherfore let not this gappe lye open to ennemies that who so euer a manne dothe hate hym by some detectour in false crimes appealed he may rydde out of lyfe Suffer that in most greatest crimes the life of euery man may be his witnes Reteyne styll this moste worthye cityzen this moste valyant man that most derely loued this honorable Senate and that is so prompte and redy wyth harte and mynde to all thinges that shulde be prouided for the common weale Finally loke well to that this most noble and most mighty man by your cruelty shuld not seme to be violently intreated ¶
the accused haue confessed You haue iudged it by manye tokens soo to bee Fyrst in that ye haue geuen me hygh thankes in special wordes and haue affirmed that by mine industrie and diligence the conspiracy of these hope lostes is openly knowen further in that ye haue compellyd Lentulus to yelde vp his office of Pretorshyp And in that ye haue gyuen sentence that he and the other shoulde be commytted to ward and specially that ye haue decreed procession to be made in my name whiche honour was neuer done to any man in tyme of peace before me Finally in that ye rewarded yesterday so magnyficently the frenche ambassatours and T. Vulturtius All whiche thynges are of suche forte that they whiche by name ar put in holde wythout doubt seme of you to be condemned But I determyned to referre holly vnto you honorable fathers bothe what you wyll iudge of the dede what you wyll determyne touchynge the punyshment I wyll shewe you before what pertayneth to the consul ¶ I behelde not longe sence great furye waltrynge in the weale publyke and some new myschefes a brewing But I neuer thought this so great and so mortall a cōspiracy to be enterprised of the citesens Now what soeuer it be whither soo euer youre myndes and sentences inclyne it muste be determyned er nyght You see vnto howe greate a daunger we be brought wherunto yf ye thynke a fewe are confederate you are farre wyde This myschiefe is sprawled abrode further than you thynke For it hath not onely ouerflowen Italy but is also runne ouer the mountayns Alpes preuily crepyng forth hath now inuaded many prouinces This thynge in no wyse can be oppressed by sustaynyng and prolongyng therof What so euer way it pleaseth you to take you must spedily determyne ther vppon I se there are two sundrye sentences one of Syllanus whose iugement was that they whiche were bent on this greate mischiefe shulde be put to deth The other of C. Cesar the whiche dysalowyng the punyshment of deth wolde they shuld suffer all greuous peyne and tourmente Eyther of them accordyng to his dignitie and weyght of the cause with greate grauitie handlyd the matter The one thought that they whiche indeuoured theym selfe to slee vs all and the people of Rome whiche wolde distroye the empyre that wolde extincte the name of Romaynes were not worthye to lyue the mynute of an howre And that kynd of punyshmente oftentymes executed vppon suche naughtie citesens in this common weale remaneth or recorde The other vnderstandethe that dethe is not ordeyned of the goddis immortall as a punishmente but as necessitie of nature or els a reste from trauayle and myseries Therfore wise men neuer grutched agaynst it yea oftentymes they wyth a hardy courage and wyllyngly desyred death And to lye in yrons perpetually in pryson is a syngular punyshmente inuented for heynous offences He wyllethe that they shulde be seuered into sundry townes whiche thinge if he wolde haue cōmaunded standeth but lytel with equitie if he wolde desyre it it semeth a harde thynge to be done yet if it please you let it be so decreed For I wyll take it vpon me and I trust to fynde theym that wyll not thynke it to be agaynst theyr dignitie and honoure to do that ye shall ordeyne for the wealthe of vs all He chargeth the townsmen with a greate penaltie if any of them breake prison and wold they shuld be surely kepte and hath appoynted peynes mete for suche greuous offenders and that there shall no man labour neyther by the senate nor by the people to mitigate the punysshementes that they are condempned to suffre Also he taketh away the hope whiche only is wonte to be a mans comfort in misery and moreouer he wylleth theyr goodes to be confiscate The lyfe onely he leaueth to those wycked offendours whiche if he wolde haue taken away with one griefe he shulde haue dispatched theym of many tribulations of mynde and bodye and of all peynes of transgressions And bycause the yl doers in theyr lyfe shulde stande in some dreede our forefathers sayd that suche peynes as be in hell were ordeyned for wycked lyuers meanynge therby that yf the feare of suche infernall peynes were taken away men wolde no whyt be arfayde of deathe ¶ Nowe honorable fathers I see howe thys thynge toucheth me yf you shulde folowe Ceasars mynde bycause he leaueth to the way of the common weale that is acceptable to the people peraduenture I shall not nede greatly to feare the furius rage of the people he being the author of this sentence but if you will folowe the other sentence I doubte whether it shall turne me to more busines yea or nay But yet the profyte of the common weale wayeth more with me than all myne owne perylles We haue also Ceasars mynde and sentence accordyng to his honourable estate and as it be semeth a man descēded of so noble a linage as a pledge of his contynuall good wyll to the common weale And we vnderstande what dyfference is betwene the myldnes of oratours and hym that truly loueth the people and tendreth theyr welth I se that some of them which wolde be sene to fauor the people be absente bycause they wyll not gyue sentence of deathe agaynste the citizens of Rome This man not thre dayes past commytted towarde Cethegus and P. Lentulus citesens of Rome and decreed vnto me porcession and yesterday he gaue great rewardes to the detectours of the conspiracy Nowe there is noo manne that doubteth what his mynde and iudgemente is concerninge all this busynes whiche committed the offendours to warde that so greatly thanked the Questor and decreed the detector to be so highly rewarded But C. Cesar vnderstandeth the lawe Sempronia to be constituted and made for the citesens of Rome but he that is an enemye to the common welthe can in noo wyse be a citisyn and farther the selfe maker of the lawe Sempronie was by commaundement of the people greuously punyshed He also demeth Lentulus to be lyberall and not prodygall and that he that so sharply so cruelly imagened by that meanes he myght destroye his common weale and confounde this citie maye be called a fouourer of the people And so this moste mylde and courteys man doubteth not to commande that Lentulus shulde lyue perpetually fettred in darke prison Also he hathe establyshed that no man hereafter booste hym selfe that he mytigated his peyne that no man offending ageinste the comon weale be rekned a fauourer of the people He wylleth furthermore theyr goodes shulde be confiscate that beside all theyr tormentes of mynde and body they woulde be oppressed wyth nede and pouertye Wherfore whether ye wyll determin this ye must cause the people to here me with loue and fauoure Or if ye wyll rather folowe the sentence of Sillanus ye shall easylie defende bothe you and me from blame of crueltie And yet honorable fathers what crueltie can there be in punyshyng so greate and
so cruell a dede Truely I speake according to my mynde for so mote I wyth you enioye the common weale as I that in this cause am ryght vehemente am not moued with anye crueltye of minde For who is more milder than I but yet after a certayne singuler humanitie and mercie For why me thinketh that I see this citie the lanterne of the hole worlde and the fortres of defence for all nacions sodeinely burninge fall in desolacion I see in my minde oure countreye cleane destroied and the miserable heapes of cityzens lye vnburied The furious loke of Cethegus frantike madde in the slaughter of you is neuer oute of my syghte Whan I call to remembraunce Lentulus reigninge lyke a kynge lyke as he confessed to haue seene him selfe by predestinacion Gabinius arayed in a purple weede and Catiline come with his armie O howe I than abhorre to see the lamentacion of the honeste wiues the flyghte of yonge maides and childrene and the trouble of the virginnes Vestalles And because these thinges seme to me vehementely miserable and to be pitied therfore I shew my selfe sharp and vehemente againste those that wolde haue performed them I aske you whether that householder which dothe moste sharpely and greuouselye punishe his seruaunte that sleyeth his childrene kylleth his wife and burneth his house is to bee counted milde and mercifull or els fierce and cruell I iudge him importunate and of an yron courage that wolde not asswage his sorowe with the turmenting of suche a seruaunt In like maner we shall be rekened mercifull if wee shewe oure selues moste sharpe and vehemente againste those that wolde murder vs oure wiues our children that with all their indeuour go aboute to destroye euerie mannes house and this vniuersall common weale whyche haue doone their beste to haue stablyshed the nacion of Delphinois in the steppes of thys citye and in the asshes of thys empiere distroied wyth fire but if wee wyll be seene to be remisse and negligente we shal be vtterly defamed of crueltie for sufferynge our countrey and citesens to be distroyed Excepte any man wyll thynke L Caesar that noble and valyant man and that mooste derely loueth this common weale was the other day very cruel what he sayd that his sisters husband that most honorable lady beinge present and heryng hym was worthy to dye Whan he sayd Flaccus was slayn by the consuls coÌ„mandement and his sonne not .xiiii. yere of age bounde and cast into pryson to be slayne Was any of theyr dedes lyke this What counsayle toke they to destroy the common weale Largesse was than vsed in the coÌ„mon weale to come to honour and some contencion and part takynge And euen at that tyme this LeÌ„tulus grandfather that most noble maÌ„ being armed pursued Gracchê° was thaÌ„ sore wouÌ„ded to the ende the hygh dignitie of the coÌ„mon weale shulde nothyng be blemyshed This Lentulus hath styrred vp the Frenchemen to tourne vpset downe this common weale he hath reysed slaues and bondemen he hath callyd forthe Catiline he hath allotted vs to Cethegus the other cityzens to bee slayne by Gabinius the citye to be burned by Cassius all Italy to be wasted and spoyled by Catilyne I deeme you dreede leste that in this so cruell and cursed a deede ye shulde be seene to determine any thinge ouer sharpe and rigorous Whan it is muche more to be feared leste by negligence of punyshement we shall seme rather cruell to our countrey than by sharpenes of punyshemente ouer vehemente against our moste cruell ennemies ¶ But honorable fathers I can nat dissemble that I haue herd spoken For wordes ar bloweÌ„ abrode whiche are come to my hearyng of them that seme to feare leste I shal not be stronge inough to execute those thinges that ye shall this day determyne to be done All thynges prudent fathers ar foresene prepared and in a redynesse by my no lyttell care and dilygence but moche more by the good courage that the commynaltie hathe to maynteyne and defende this most highe empire and theyr owne goodes They be all of euery state and degree and of euery age bent here vppon The market place is full soo be all the wayes and passages to this place and temple This cause sith the buyldinge of the citie is founde to be alone in the whiche al agree on one selfe thinge excepte those whiche seynge they muste nedes ende theyr wretched life they had rather dy with all other than peryshe alone Those men I except and gladly seuer them from vs. Nor I accompt not theym amonge the numbre of honest citesins but from henseforth to be taken for our mooste cruell ennemies But good lorde with howe greate multitude with what fauour and affection with what wood harte and courage do all other consent and agree to the dignite and welthe of vs all Wherto shoulde I here reherse the gentyll men of Rome whiche so gyueth place to you in degree and consultation that they wylle contende wyth vs in loue of the common weale the whiche this daye and this cause hathe retired from longe dissentyon and debate had with this order and knytte you faste frendes togyther whiche knote of frendshype confyrmed in my consuls shyppe if we contynually kepe in the common weale I assure you after this no ciuile harme amonge our selfe shall endomage the common weale on noo syde Wyth lyke fauour to defende the common weale I see the treasourers men woste hardy and valyante assemble theym selues togyther Also all the notaries and scrybes whiche in great numbre chaunce this daye hath broughte to the treasoure house I perceyue they lokynge to what ende this busines wyll come ar fully bent on the common welth Here is also the holle multitude of the meane sorte of freemen For who is he to whome those temples the aspecte of this citie the possession of libertie and fynally this lyghte and this oure natiue countrey is not dere swete and pleasante It is a ioyfull thynge honorable fathers to see the fauoure and affection of the lybertines whiche chauncynge to enioye the franches of this citie accompte it to be theyr owne countree whiche cytie some that be here borne and comme of noble lynage iudge not theyr countrey but take it as a towne of theyr enemyes But whereto shall I recyte vnto you those men and degrees whome theyr owne priuate coÌ„moditie the common profite fredome and lybertie of all thinges the moste swetest hath a waked and styred to defende the welthe of theyr countrey There is no slaue whose seruile condition is anye thynge tollerable whiche dothe not vtterly abhore the saucy and malapert boldnes of our citisens that wolde not haue theÌ„ bridled that doth not as moche as he dare and as muche as he can applye his good wylle for the coÌ„mon weale Wherfore if haplye any of you be moued with this that a rumoure is blowen abrode that a certayne ruffyan longing to Lentulus runneth about froÌ„ shope to shope hopynge with mede to stere and
reyse vp routes of such as be nedy and ignoraunt what thinges meane Surely this was begunne and attempted but yet there was none founde so poore nor so wretched but that wylleth and desyreth that his shoppe and place where he getteth his lyuinge his chambre for his bed and the quiet course of his lyfe myght be in safegarde And the moste parte of those that lyue by theyr handye crafte yea I shulde say this vniuersall kynde of people do loue to lyue in quiete and reste For all theyr instrumentes theyr workes and wynninges are maynteyned by concurse and resorte of the people nourisshed wyth peace and concorde whose gaynes and wynnynges yf by shuttynge in of theyr shoppes is wonte to be mynyshed what shall they gette whan they be bourned These thynges beynge thus honourable fathers you canne lacke noo helpe to defende the common weale Take ye good hede that ye fayle not the common welth you haue the Consull escaped frome manye perylles and disceytes and frome the very poynte of deathe not onely for his owne lyfe but for youre welthe reserued all states and degrees with one mynde one wylle one fauour oone force wyth oone voyce contente to saue and defende the commune weale Thys oure countrey besette aboute wyth fyre brondes and weapons of this wyicked conspyracye mekelye holdeth vp her handes to you To you she commendeth the lyfe of all her cytesyns the castell and Capytoll the aulteres and ymages the perpetualle bournynge fyre of the goddes Vesta the Temples and Chapelles of the goddis the walles and buyldynges of the Cytie Furthermore you muste this daye gyue a Iugemente concerning your owne lyfe your wyues and childerns lyues and that toucheth all youre goodes possessions and howses Ye haue a capytatne myndefull of you and forgetfull of hym selfe whiche abilitie is not alway gyuen that a man forgettynge hym selfe shulde be myndfull of other Ye haue all estates and degrees all men the holle publyque weale it that in a cyuylle cause we shall this daye fyrste see agreynge all as one Calle to mynde that one nyght shall vtterly confounde and brynge to nought this impyre founded wyth so great labours our lybertie stablysshed wyth so greatte prowesse our goodes so greatly incresed and augmented by the benignitie of the goddis You must this daye so prouyde that neuer hereafter this thyng be not onlye done but that noo manne ymagine to doo suche a dede And those thynges I haue not spoken to encourage you whiche in fauoure and good zeale farre passe me but to the ende that my voyce which oughte to be chiefe in the common weale shuld be sene to supplye the duety of a consull Nowe before that I returne to the sentēce I wyll some what speake of my selfe ¶ Me thynketh I haue gote as greate a multitude of ennemyes as there is in noumbre of conspiratours whiche ye se is very great but this greate route I iuge to be shamefull weake not to be regarded and verye abiectes But yf hereafter this multitude prouoked by any mannes furye or myschiefe doth more preuayle than yours and the common welthes dignitie yet honorable fathers I wyll neuer repente me of those dedes that I haue done or of the councels that I haue gyuen For deathe wherwith perchance they threten me no man can escape More greatter prayse than ye haue gyuen me in my lyfe by your decrees neuer man obteyned For alwaye vnto other for well gouernynge of the common weale but vnto me for the conseruation therof ye haue decreed ryght hygh thankes ¶ Let the noble Scipio haue his renonme by whose councell prowes and polycy Hanniball was constrayned to retourne into Aphrike and to departe out of Italy Let Aphricanus be adourned wyth moste hyghe laude whiche distroyed two greate cities Carthage and Numantia moste greuous enimies to this impire Let hym L. Paulus be counted for a mā most excellent whose chariot Perses sometyme a kynge most myghty and most noble dyd greatly honor Let Marius haue eternall glory whiche twyse delyuered Italy frome inuasion and drede of seruitude and thraldome Let Pompeius be preferred aboue all other whose conquestes and knightly actes ar knowen through all the worlde And surely among the honourable renoume and prayses of these men our glory must take some place excepte peraduenture it be a greater feate to conquere to vs prouinces by whiche we myghte haue passage than it is warely to prouyde that they that are absente maye haue a place whither as conquerors they maye returne agayne Not withstandynge the state of outwarde vyctorye is in one thyng better thā the domesticall bycause straunge enemyes subdued do eyther serue vs or receyued as frendes do thynke them selfe bounde vnto vs. But yf any of our cytesyns throughe some madnesse waxynge lewde and nought begyne ones to be enmyes to theyr countrye whan we go aboute to wythstande that they endomage not the common weale we can neither by violence restrayne theym nor wyth benefittes pacify them Wherfore I see welle I haue entred into continuall warre with these hope lost citesyns the whiche I trust through the ayde of you and all suche other as ar good and vertuous remembring so greate perils of the which not only we that ar reserued and kepte but all nations shall speke and beare in mind easily to repel from me myne Nor assuredly there can not be founde so great force violence that can breake quayle your vnitie and the gentilmen of Rome and so great consent and agremente of all good men Seinge honorable fathers that these thinges ar thus for myn impire for myne army for my prouynce whiche I neglected for my triumph and other notable thinges of laude and preyse whiche for your cities sake and safegarde of youre welthes I forsake for my clientes for the men of my prouynce for the right of hospitalite for all these thynges and for my singulare fauoure and affection to youe for that diligence whiche you see in me to preserue the weale publike I aske nothinge elles of you but the remembrāce of my Consuls shyp all this tyme. Whiche being fast fixed in your myndes I iudge my selfe surely fenced about with a walle moste stronge But if my hope be dispointed and quayled by the power of the lewde and naughty I cōmende to you my littell sonne to whome surelye it shal be a sufficiente garrison of defence not onely for his sauegarde but also for his high aduancement if ye wille vouchesafe to remembre him to be his sonne whiche with his perill alone preserued all these thinges Wherfore mooste prudente fathers ordeyne and prouide diligentely and boldelye as ye beganne for your owne wealth youre wyues and children for your aultars and oratories for youre Chapelles and temples for the buyldynges and sytuacions of all this citie for this empire for youre lybertye for the welth of Italye and for the vniuersall weale publyke For ye haue a consull that doubteth not to obeye your decrees and as
of the place Anone as the Numidians had foūde him they slewe him without any mecri And as they were commaunded cutte of his hed brought the same to Iugurth but shortly after the fame of this cruell tyrannous dede was diuulgate ouer spred all the landes of Affrike Adherball and all they whiche were vnder subieccion of Micipsa whyle he lyued were sore troubled and abasshed with fere for this tyrannous crueltie of Iugurth The Numidians anone duyded themselfe into two parties The moost part drewe and leaned to Adherball but suche as were most manly and best to batayle drew them to the other parte and leaned to Iugurth Wherfore he made redy as great an armie as he myght ioininge vnto him and bringing vnder his subieccion the townes and cities of Numidi some by violence some other by theyr owne volūtary will Insomoch that finally he kept vnder his subieccion and bondage the hole lande of Numidy But notwithstanding that Adherbal had sent embassadours to Rome to certify the senatours of the deth of his brother how cowardly he was murdred also to informe thē of his own miserable fortune in what case he was neuer thelesse he made himselfe redy to fyght with Iugurth as he which had trust confidence in multitude of his souldyours assembled redy to batayle ¶ Howe Iugurth ouercame Adherball in battayl and putte hym to flyght howe Adherball fledde to Rome to complayne to the senatours and howe Iugurth accloyed wyth rewardes many of the rulers of Rome by whose fauour hys crueltie was defended The .ix. Chapter NOwe had Iugurth assembled hys hoost redy vnto batayle not lyke in multitude of the company of Adharbal but as I sayd before moche bolder better experte and exercised in warre On the other partie Adherball had his people redy apointed both the armyes approched togider But whan they ioyned batayle whan it came to byckerynge that the matter must be tryed with strokes Anone Adherball was vanquished and to saue his life fledde from the batayle into a prouince marchynge on the land of Numidi from thens with all hast sped him vnto Rome to complayne his miserable fortune to requyre socours as I shall after warde declare But thā Iugurth whē he had al the land of Numidy at his pleasure counselled with his frendes of many thinges At conclusion whan he considred himself that he had slaine Hiempsall and chased Adherball out of his kingdome whan he was ydle at rest he oftē secretly reuolued in mynd his owne crueltie sore dredyng what punisshmēt the Romains wold ordeine agaynst the same Nor against the ire displeasure of the Romains had he none other hope nor conforte saue in the couetyse of the noble men of Rome and in thabundaunce of his treasoure wherwith he trusted to corrupte the rulers of Rome to be fauorable to him This consydred within fewe dayes after he sent to Rome embassadours with moche golde siluer to whome he gaue in commaundement that first of al they shuld satisfy his olde frendes with rewardes and money and thā to spare no gyftes to get vnto him mo new frendes And brefely that they shulde not spare nor tary to procure vnto him fauourers mainteiners of his part and all thinges for his auauntage by giftes promisses But after these embassadours were come to Rome according to the cōmaundement of theyr king they gaue sent to his acquayntaunce and frendes and to suche as among the senatours at that time had most authorite large and great rewardes In somoche that anone among thē was so great a chaunge that the maruelous enuy hatred euyl wil which they had agaynst Iugurth was al chaunged into fauour grace among the noble men Of whome some wer so induced by gyftes receyued some other by hope of brybes in tyme to come that they went about among the senatours from one to one labourynge intreatyng that at that season nothyng shuld be extremely nor greuously determined against Iugurth Thus after the embassadours of Iugurth hadde confidence and trust ynough in theyr cause they laboured to haue a day apointed to apere in courte The day of apearaunce was graunted as wel to them as to Adherball to Adherball as playntife and to the embassadours as defendentes for Iugurth whan the daye assigned was come bothe the parties appered in courte before the senatours than after audience graunted Adherball began to speke vnder forme folowynge for complainte and declaracion of his iniuries and oppression ¶ Here insueth the oration of Adherball deuysed in forme deliberatiue in whiche he exhorteth the senatours to commaunde socours and ayde to be assigned vnto hym prouynge the same to be profytable honest and easy to the Romaines to do profitable that he myght continue a frende vnto the empyre of Rome honest for his father and graunfather hadde so deserued easy to be done for the Romains at that tyme had no other warre els where The .x. Chapter MOost discrete chosen fathers and noble senatours Micipsa my father at houre of his deth commaunded me that I shulde thinke nought els of the land of Numidie to apertaine to me saue onely the rule and admynistracion of the same affirmynge that the title of possession and empire of the same belonged to you and to the people of Rome Moreouer he gaue me in commaūdemente to do my deuoure to be vnto you seruisable aboue all thinges both in place and warre And that I shulde count you vnto me in place of kynsmen and nerest frendes of alyaunce Saienge that if I so dyd thā by your amite and frendshyppe I shuld fynde socoure riches and defence of the kyngdome of Numidy and of me and myne all tymes of nede whiche preceptes of my father whyle I caste in mynde to obserue sodaynlye Iugurthe the moost cruell and cursed of all men whome the grounde susteyneth dyspisynge youre empyre hathe dryuen me frome youre kyngdome and frome all my other goodes of fortune nothynge regardynge that I am neuewe of Massiniss◠and by myne auncestry a felowe and frende of the empyre and people of Roome But certaynlye worthye and chosen fathers sythe I am come to that myserye that necessytye constrayneth me to desyre youre ayde and succoures I wolde moche rather that I myghte call for youre helpe for myne owne merytes agaynste you doone than for the merytes of my forefathers and that by suche meanes of myne owne deseruynge youre benefytes and socours were due vnto me whiche wolde God that I neded not at all but yf this youre socoures myghte soo of you be desyred by my merytes and deseruynge than shulde I call boldlye to you and vse youre socours of duetye as myne auncestrye haue doone in tymes passed But nowe sythe it is soo that honeste lyfe and innocencye in thys worlde fyndeth lytell surenesse by theim selfe wythoute protection of some other Moreouer syth it was not in my power to mitigate nor to withstande this tyrannous iniurye
before vnder suche sentence To the whiche wordes of Metellus Bocchus answered againe benignely mekely ynough sayng that he desyred nothyng more than peace saue that he had pyte and compassion of the aduers and miserable fortune of Iugurth but if the same Iugurth might be suffred also to haue frendship and amyte with the Romains and forgiuenesse than said Bocchus that he wolde gladly agre to euery thynge desyred of Metellus and euery thyng shulde be accorded bytwene them The capitayne Metellus heryng this answere of Bocchus agayne sent messangers to him replyeng against his requestes and sayenge that some of his peticions were agaynst iustice and reason also Metellus by these embassadours desired many other thinges of Bocchus of whom Bocchus graunted alowed some and other some of them he denyed After this maner the tyme ouerpassed and proceded forth massangers often going and commyng bytwene them bothe so that by such maner the warre and batayle remayned vntouched and depended not medled with as Metellus dyd greatly coueyt and desyre in mynde bycause he wolde kepe sure that laude whiche he had wonne and also for that to his owne paryll and dammage he wold not auantage nor auance Marius in a thinge which to him belōged ¶ But here wyll I leaue to speke of Metellus and retourne to speke of Marius whiche contrary to the wyll of the noble men of Rome was creat consul by fauour of the cōmens lykewyse as I haue writen before ¶ Of the great ordinance and preparacion whych Marius the newe consull made agaynst Iugurth and for the warre of Numidy The .xlix. Chapter BVt Marius as I haue sayd before was elect consull at great desyre and instaunce of the cōmen people which also committed to hym the prouince of Numidy Marius seing himselfe thus auanced wher he was euer agaynst the noble men of Rome before nowe was he specially fiers of mynde and stately And besy to displease and hurt the states some tyme one by one and other wyle altogther He often tymes boasted and sayd that he had goten the consulshyp of them maugre their wyll as if it were a pray or spoylinge goten of his ennemies and of men ouercome Many other boastynge wordes spake he to his owne commendacion to great displeasure and anger vnto the estates of Rome But in the meane tyme he forgat not to prepare euery thyng necessary to the warre wherof the charge rested on him to execute the same against Iugurth from thensforth He demaunded of the senatours cōmens new supplement of soudyors to repare and restore the army whiche was in Numidy with Metellus For many of thē wer slaine and many deed of sickenesse thus was the army sore deminished He called also for socours of suche nacions as marched to thempire And of kynges whiche were cōfederate and had conioyned feloweshyp with the Romayns Moreouer he raysed vp in Italy nere about Rome as many as were strongest and bolde mennes bodies And namely suche as he himselfe had proued before in warre and such as in warfare were proued by dedes and not suche as were boosted by fame And namely olde souldeours which had longe haunted the war and wer pardoned ther of So that it was in the power of no man to constrain them to war without their owne fre assent bycause that they had continued styll in warre the season to them assigned of their captains These treated Marius with so fayre flateryng and paynted wordes that thy were redy to go with him in warfare And how beit that the senatours wer contrary to hym yet durst they nothing deny vnto hym belonging to his besynesse but gladly and with good wyll they decreed that he shulde rayse and chuse souldyours to fulfyll the nombre of them which wer lost in bataile in the contrey of Numidy But this dyd they for no gret loue which they had to Marius for they thought that he shuld lese eyther the execucion of the batayle whiche he intended with Iugurth or elles the fauour of the people whiche wolde refuse to go forth to warre So that if Marius constrayned them their old loue myght turne into new malyce and hatered against hym But this thyng was trusted but in vayne of the Senatoures for the mooste parte of the commons had an inestimable desire to go to batayle wyth Marius For euerye man caste in hys mynd to be inryched by prayes and spoylynges of war And that more is to retourne home agayne victoures wyth muche honour and triumphe These thinges and other lyke they considered whiche caused them gladlye to folowe Marius and also Marius dyd not a lytle enbolden and conforte theyr myndes with his exhortacion For whan euery thynge which he desired of the Senatours was confirmed and decreed by thē And when Marius shulde assemble his souldiours he thought to put them in conforte by exhortacion and also to trouble and displease the states of Rome as he was wonte to do and to chafe their myndes Wherefore he assembled and called together a greate company of the common people and spake to them by exhortacion and confortyng of them as hereafter ensueth ¶ The oracion or exhortacion of the consull Marius had to the commen people of Rome before hys voyage into Numydye whiche exhortacion is demonstratyue contaynyng the laude and praise of Marius and dispraise and blame of the noble men of Rome The .l. Chapter RYght worthye citizens I knowe well that many of these estates of ancient name haue not thē selfe behaued after one maner of cōdicion in desiryng of you honoradle dignities and greate offices and in administracion and gouernyng of them after they haue optayned before they optayned promocyō to thintent to come therby to honoure and dignite But where as I haue passed all my lyfe in right good occupacions by continuall custome it is roted in me to do well and this custome is tourned with me into nature Treuth it is that ye haue commaunded me to warre agaynst Iugurth whiche thing these noble men taketh very greuously I require you consyder and dyscus in your myndes and in your inwarde consideracion ponder ye whyther it be better more necessary and expedient to chanuge the same your commaundement agayne and to sende forth some other of that sort of auncient gentil men vnto this besynesse agaynst Iugurth or els to any other lyke Send forth a noble man of old auncetry in honour remembrance of whō many ymages may be made and erecte or set vp on hye But of polycie of chiualry or warfare is he vtterly ignorant and inexpert Wyll ye change your purpose and sende forth such one to warfare at pleasure of these gentylmen as who saieth that is best to be done for this cause To thintent that in so great a mater and wighty besynesse suche a captayne more ignorant and ferefull than any of all his souldyours shal be chosen of you whiche anone after shal chuse forth agayne some one of the commen people to be hys